JAKARTA. The US Consulate office in Medan, North Sumatra, announced on Thursday that all activities scheduled for Friday had been canceled for security reasons.

The consulate’s public affairs and economic assistant Hans Sukanto said the office had long scheduled activities that were to be conducted on Friday.

“I want to inform you all US Consulate activities on Friday, Nov.4, 2016, are canceled because of security concerns,” he said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Thursday evening.

The US Consulate was scheduled to carry out a cultural visit to Tjong A Fie Mansion on Jl.Ahmad Yani, Medan by @Amerika director Karen P.Schinnerer, who is also the US Embassy’s cultural attaché, and US Consul in Medan Juha P.Salin.   

In the press statement, the US Consulate did not elaborate on the security concerns.

On Friday, several mass organizations are set to hold a rally in several areas across Medan against Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja “Ahok” Purnama over his alleged religious-defamation remarks.  

Medan Police chief Sr. Comr. Mardiaz Kusin Dwihananto said 2,500 personnel would be deployed to secure the mass rally. They comprise regular and Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel as well as traffic police.

Mardiaz said Indonesian Military personnel would assist the police in securing the event. “We will safeguard the rally,” he said after a call of readiness at Merdeka Square in Medan, on Thursday. (Apriadi Gunawan)

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie